Psycho (1960)

Psycho

Call No: TEMP 1959

When Psycho was first released to theatres, it was sent with a cardboard cutout of Alfred Hitchcock to put in a lobby, along with this warning:

“The manager of this theatre has been instructed at the risk of his life, not to admit to the theatre any persons after the picture starts. Any spurious attempts to enter by side doors, fire escapes or ventilating shafts will be met by force. The entire objective of this extraordinary policy, of course, is to help you enjoy Psycho more. -- Alfred Hitchcock”. 

When Hitchcock bought the rights to the book, he also attempted to buy as many copies as possible so that nobody could give away the ending. Seeing the movie, it’s easy to understand why he was so determined not to spoil it for anyone. As a result (and to stop Hitchcock’s ghost from finding me), I won’t spoil it for you either.

Marion Crane loves her boyfriend Sam but, because of both of them being strapped for money, they can’t get married. When Marion is given $40,000 dollars to deposit for her employer (at a job she doesn’t enjoy), she gets an idea. Taking the money with the intention of heading to California to surprise Sam, Marion’s trip is threatened by bad weather. Pulling into the Bates Motel on a side road, Marion meets the kind and quiet Norman Bates. But life isn’t what it seems like for Norman, when his dominating mother seems to have him in an iron grip.

One of my favourite aspects of the film is a technique that I haven’t seen any other film use -- future voiceovers. While some films make use of the voiceover (for example, having the thoughts of the person conveyed out loud while the character is speaking), Hitchcock uses it in a completely novel way. As Marion is making the decision to run and encounters a number of different people and thinks of outcomes to the problem her taking off has caused, we hear voiceovers of what she imagines people would say when they find out what she’s done. She imagines what Sam will say when he sees her. It’s such an interesting and engaging move in filmmaking, but it enhances the film without being distracting or confusing.

Tight shots and voiceovers make us feel like we're
right in the car with Marion Crane

The other thing I want to talk about briefly is the overall filmmaking of the movie. Hitch was notorious for setting up every single shot on paper before he even got close to picking up the camera. Everything was controlled. There are a number of different kinds of shots that can be used in a scene. As a result of this, Hitch makes every shot count. When he uses a special effect, it's to enhance a shot, not detract from it. He truly is a master behind the camera, and this film demonstrates that better than any of his other films. He always shows enough to make you suspicious, but not enough to make you alarmed. That’s why he was able to deceive and frighten so well in his movies. He doesn’t give you the time to brace yourself.

I’ve come this far without giving anything away of the plot, so let me finish by saying that the acting is top notch, as it always is in a Hitchcock film. Hitch was a filmmaker of the highest order – he knew what he wanted, and he’d do whatever he had to in order to get it out of you. When everyone pulls together and puts forward their best performance, an exciting and remarkable film is made.

A film that looks something like this.